12 July 2004	Monday	23 Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1425

KARACHI, July 11: A garbage-filled storm-water drain in Keamari Town may play havoc with the lives of thousands of people, if immediate steps are not taken for its cleaning.

The residents of the Mohammadi Colony, located along the Mauripur Road in Keamari Town, apprehended that if early steps were not taken to clean up the Kalri nullah, several localities situated along the Mauripur Road and the Mirza Adam Khan Road may submerge in the monsoon rains, expected any time.

According to the residents, the civic agencies have yet taken no steps for cleaning of major storm-water drains passing through the densely-populated areas of Lyari and Keamari Towns.

The Kalri Nullah, starting from Baldia Town, and after passing through various parts of Lyari Town, terminates at the Arabian Sea near the Karachi Fish Harbour in Keamari Town.

A survey shows that the drain, at its outfall near Mohammadi Colony, is almost clogged and for quite some years no cleaning work has been carried out. The drain network passing through the Lyari Town is flooded with garbage.

The city receives 7-8 inches rainfall on average, every year, during the monsoon season, which causes severe flooding and damages property, besides disrupting utility services.

It is learnt that most of the storm-water drains in the city, because of years of neglect, have gathered piles of garbage in them and have been blocked. Silting has further raised the level of the beds of these nullahs higher than the old sewerage system in the city. It is observed that only a slight downpour can make the gutters overflow.

Not only Lyari and Keamari Towns but some parts of Saddar have to face worst conditions during the monsoon rains. The Saddar Town administration has prepared an emergency plan to meet the situation by planning certain relief measures and some time back it had also initiated cleaning of the storm-water drain in Hijrat Colony.

But the situation calls for a major cleaning operation at all the nine major drains in the city. It is the responsibility of all the civic agencies to make coordinated efforts to prepare a strategy in this regard and put into operation a joint action plan to save the city from a likely disaster.

CLEANLINESS DRIVE: Following the directives of Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Jamsheed Town administration announced on Sunday a 15-day drive to clean garbage dens, adds PPI.

During the drive, which begins on Monday (today), and will involve union councils in the town, roads, streets, playgrounds and parks will be cleaned of garbage, while fine will be imposed for spreading garbage. Jamshed Town Nazim Ahmed Parekh and TMO Asghar Ali Wagan will supervise the drive.